Chapter 373 A Monster

Greg gripped the knife, his hand shaking so badly the blade rattled softly in his grip. The scent of fear rolled off him so strongly it almost burned my nose. My senses were sharper now, far sharper than they had been in my old life, and every tremor in his body felt painfully obvious.

“Elena, don’t hold it against me,” he said hoarsely. “I admit we wronged you all these years. Maybe we misunderstood you. But can you truly say you’re innocent?”

His eyes were red and wild, like a cornered animal.

“Why didn’t you tell us the truth after you were reborn?” he continued, his voice rising. “You let Nolan and Jake die for nothing. I know what this is. You’re taking revenge for how we treated you. Showing up so calmly at the Blackwell Residence… you must be working with them, right?”

His breathing grew uneven.

“If that’s the case,” he spat, “then Nolan’s death is on you!”

Before anyone could react, he lunged forward and drove the dagger straight toward my chest.

For a split second, the world slowed.

Alright.

So this is how it is.

I had already prepared myself before stepping into this place tonight. The moment I crossed the Blackwell territory line, I knew blood might be spilled. The air itself carried the heavy pressure of dominance and old grudges. If Dominic wanted to sit back and watch us destroy each other like a cruel Alpha watching weak pack members fight for survival…

Then I would fight back.

For Whitney’s sake.

Greg clearly carried the same intention, which meant I had no reason to hesitate. No reason to feel guilt.

The moment the blade came close, my body moved on instinct.

I caught his wrist mid-strike and twisted it sharply. His bones felt fragile under my grip. Before he could react, I drove my knee hard into his stomach.

A strangled cry left his throat.

Greg folded instantly, the dagger slipping from his fingers and clattering onto the marble floor.

I kicked the weapon away and shoved him backward. He collapsed onto the ground with a painful grunt.

Even I was a little surprised by how easily it happened.

My self-defense training had always been basic. Back then, it was just something I practiced quietly to protect myself. But now… my reflexes were faster, my strength sharper, my body responding before my mind even finished thinking.

It was the kind of instinct you couldn’t learn in a class.

And Greg?

Greg had spent his entire life drowning in comfort.

At the Morrigans house, only Nolan and Jake had shown any real ambition. Nolan had carried the weight of maintaining the family business, while Jake always dreamed of expanding the pack’s influence overseas.

Greg had done neither.

He wasted his days on alcohol, expensive bikes, rare antiques, and women who only cared about his money. He lived like a spoiled heir in a wealthy pack, never once learning how to fight or survive.

Against someone like that, I didn’t even need half my strength.

As Greg lay groaning on the ground, Vivian rushed forward and dropped beside him, clutching his shoulders.

“Elena, stop!” she cried desperately. “Let him go! Even if he’s useless… he’s still your brother!”

Brother.

The word almost made me laugh.

This scene felt painfully familiar. They showed no remorse for everything they had done to me, yet in their eyes I had returned as some kind of vengeful spirit.

To them, the Morrigans family’s downfall was entirely my fault.

How ridiculous.

Whether Wisteria existed or not, they had always treated me like an outsider in their own pack.

“Brother…” I repeated softly, a faint chuckle escaping my lips.

Vivian only saw me pushing Greg to the ground. She conveniently ignored the fact that he had just tried to bury a dagger in my chest.

Or maybe she didn’t ignore it.

Maybe, in their minds, I was still the same Elena.

The quiet girl who never complained.

The submissive daughter who endured everything silently.

The one who never fought back.

Right now, more than anything, I wished Lewis were here.

He was the only one who had ever stood beside me without hesitation. No suspicion. No judgment. Just unwavering loyalty, the kind that felt like a true pack bond.

I wasn’t afraid of standing against the entire world.

But the cold stares of the people who raised me…

Those hurt in a way claws never could.

To them, I was the source of every disaster.

Yet the truth was simple.

I was the one who had suffered the most.

Just as the silence grew heavier, a pair of trembling arms suddenly wrapped around me from behind.

“Elena…”

Whitney’s weak voice reached my ears.

Her embrace was fragile, but warm.

She turned to Vivian, confusion filling her eyes.

“Mom, why do you see Elena this way?” she asked softly. “She…”

Whitney tried to speak for me, but Josh interrupted sharply.

“Anna, enough!”

His voice was harsh and cold.

“You’ve been away too long to understand what’s been happening in the Morrigans pack. Your brother’s death could have been avoided.”

His glare turned toward me.

“Elena is clearly working with those monsters from the Blackwell pack. Stay away from her. She might hurt you.”

The moment those words left his mouth, another voice exploded with anger.

“Shut up!”

Penelope’s furious shout cut through the room.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she glared at Josh.

“Fool!” she snapped.

It looked like she wanted to say much more, but the rage in her chest seemed too overwhelming. The single word was all she managed to spit out, yet it carried enough fury to silence the room.

Then suddenly—

Clap. Clap. Clap.

The slow sound of clapping echoed through the hall.

A woman’s voice followed, smooth and dripping with mockery.

“Bravo.”

“It’s truly entertaining to watch dogs turn on one another.”

The moment I heard that voice, my entire body stiffened.

The scent reached me a second later.

Cold.

Rotten.

Familiar.

My expression changed instantly.

“Wisteria.”

From the dark end of the hall, a figure slowly stepped forward.

She was dressed in black from head to toe, the hood of her cloak hiding most of her face. When she reached the light, she lifted her hand and pushed the hood back.

Her appearance made everyone freeze.

Compared to the last time I saw her in Snowville a month ago, she had grown frighteningly thin. Her cheeks were hollow, her skin pale like faded parchment. She looked less like a living person and more like a skeleton barely covered by skin.

Yet the smile on her lips was sharp and alive.

The Morrigans family stared at her as if they were looking at a rabid animal.

Vivian suddenly lost control.

“It’s you!” she screamed and rushed forward.

Her hands grabbed Wisteria’s sleeve violently, her eyes burning with hatred.

“You lying, treacherous woman!” Vivian shouted. “We treated you like family! How could you betray us like this?”

Her voice shook with rage.

“You’re nothing but a monster!”